> IMO and IME plenty of scientists (in all fields) advocate their beliefs
> pretty much as strongly as they can. In a perfect world perhaps they
> would all spend their time looking for the weakest points in their own
> theories rather than criticising their opponents, but that's not the way
> the world works.
The problem is not restricted to scientists. All men (99% to 101%)
resist being told that they are wrong. Thus when a male scientist gets
an idea he will stick with it no matter what the evidence is. He is always
hoping that new evidence will prove him right. Max Planck said
"Old Theories only die when the Old Professors die" .
But there is a corollary. It is exceedingly difficult to get new ideas
across. It is well known that everyone has there own ideas. They
can't all be right. Therefore the possibility that any arbitrary idea is
correct is very low. Therefore if an objection can be found to a new
idea, then the objection is true and the idea false. There is no
testing of the objection. An ad hominem argument is usually
sufficient. For instance my arguments have been criticised on the
grounds that I am not Albert Einstein!
I rest my case :-)
Cheers, Alastair.
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